León Gieco

Argentine folk legend León Gieco is one of his country's most enduring national heroes. Though he is most treasured in Argentina, where his outspoken social consciousness and storied past as a fearless protest singer endeared him deeply to those who share his heritage, his appeal extends beyond his homeland: he performs to international audiences regularly and is often described in shorthand as "the Bob Dylan of Argentina." He first earned these comparisons with his debut album, León Gieco (1973), released by Argentina's premier rock label, Music Hall. Gieco recorded several more albums for the label during the mid-'70s, all of them popular, before he could no longer withstand the pressure of the Argentine government to censor his outspokenness. Like so many other Argentine artists of the time, he fled the country, finding sanctuary in the United States in the late '70s. He reunited there with Gustavo Santaolalla, who had produced his debut album, and in time, the two of them recorded songs for Pensar en Nada (1981), a triumphant comeback album that announced Gieco's return to Argentina. Throughout the early '80s, he toured the country from top to bottom and, with Santaolalla producing, documented his travels. Released as De Ushuaia a La Quiaca (1985), this documentary project showcases Gieco as a folk troubadour, performing acoustically alongside his countrymen. Much acclaimed, De Ushuaia a La Quiaca was followed by two further volumes, and Gieco continued his relentless touring, traveling to Europe and playing at a variety of festivals. Semillas del Corazón (1989) marked his return to conventional studio recording, and in the wake of that album's success he signed to EMI, for which he recorded a variety of albums in the years that followed. By this point, Gieco's...